Patience

“Patience- the ability to put our desires on hold for a time- is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and at times, bitter. Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace. Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith. it means being “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon  (us), even as a child doth submit to his father. ” Ultimately, patience means being “firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord” every hour of every day, even when it is hard to do so. The lessons we learn from patience will cultivate our character, lift our live and heighten our happiness. ” -Deiter F. Uchtdorf

I found this quote yesterday when i was feeling really worried about the state of my vocal cords yesterday. it is still getting better, but i feel helpless to repair my most beloved tool. But I know in my heart the Lord is striving to help me grow.

That being said, i have grown a lot this week. We have learned so much choreography. It has been really exciting, but we have sweat so much. When I was not put into some of the featured dance groups I felt a little frustrated, But then I thought about why I was here, and I realized again that it is not my place to worry about when or how much i am dancing. I am still able to contribute mountains through my character I can portray on the stage.

We have a new revamped show for Sunset by the Mississippi, There is lots of new music and choreography. My favorite part is the little bit of tumbling and jumping on the bed I do for ” Grandma’s feather bed”

We open our shows on Saturday. The promise is going well. I love the story I get to tell. I know that this character is an in important part for me to have. It is the way I can share my testimony with the audience. I can put all my feeling into it. I hope that all those who see the show will feel the truth of my words.

I am exhausted at the end of each day. I am loving it though. I love to be always dancing,  singing, and working and then underneath is all is this fueling power of my calling.

I will just end with a  few highlights.

*I got a story sent to me by my mother. The story was so touching to me, many of the difficulties my ancestor faced are portrayed in the promise and then I was able to go with a small group during a music rehearsal to sing in the still and the silence of the historic cemetery knowing that I had an ancestor buried there.

*Something funny we have been dealing with this week is the hideous rehearsal slips. They are all white but ill fitting and sweaty, we have to wear them over our rehearsal shirts and sweats. They do not flatter anyone.

*Most nights we gather in the visitors center around the Christus statue and we all get the opportunity to share our thoughts from the day. I love hearing what everyone is feeling and then singing together and kneeling in prayer.

*When we first got here I suggested to the stage sisters that we choose a Christlike attribute to work on each week. Last week was faith and this week we chose virtue. We are going in the order of D&C. We are all figuring out how to work along with each other, but I already feel this closeness and love. It is so different living with so many women, but I love it too. Which surprises me.

*Elder Zwick of the seventy came and surprise visited us. He told stories about President Monson, and said we should read the Book of Mormon while we are here.

It is so funny how close I feel to my mission. I have been wanting to speak in German more and more.

Well, time is up! Love you!

With the Temple in View

(a note from Sister Gardner’s mom.  There was a bit of a problem with the email when she finally had a chance to email home. She was not able to open her account and ended up sending her letter with another email. So, don’t feel bad if you wrote and didn’t get a response. She hasn’t been able to open or read anything sent to her yet.  Snail mail works great. Hopefully it will get worked out soon so she knows we are writing her. Thanks for you support.)

From the green Mississippi riverside I send you a hello from Sister Gardner.

Within a week so much has happened.

One overwhelming feeling I have is that God has put this cast together and he is the one fueling the amazing progress we have made. I have never been in a show where we were given the script, parts and music and then performed it the first time through, from beginning to the end, in three days. We have learned so much music and blocking and  now even dancing within this time.

Sister Gardner and her companion Sister Meikle

I suppose I should start from the top.  Nauvoo is wonderful. It is fun to see this place that I came to as a child and to know that now I am part of the experience that I had while there. I see all of the missionary force here. The Seniors and the Visitor’s center sisters. I feel this connection to them all. I love to see the similarities of my mission in Austria to this one here. I still get to talk with people if I put myself out there and I was even able to give out a copy of the Book of Mormon and get and email from someone to send her missionaries while at the Airport in St. Louis. I felt that familiar confidence when you are inviting someone to read the Book of Mormon for the first time. It was so wonderful.

I am serving with Sister Miekle as my companion. She is also from Utah, and is studying musical theater at UVU. She is so great. We have been bonding a lot and I love having her around. I am going to switch to bullet points because I have literally seven minutes .

• I have been given the responsibility to drive the 12 passenger van. Wow that was a little scary at first but I am getting the hang of it and I help to keep everyone on time for when we need to leave for various rehearsals and meetings.
• We basically live in the theater in the visitors center which is where I feel right at home. I actually really like it. It it is like being in shows like I love, but  I know that I am doing it for God so it is even better and more focused.
  

  Rehearsal of the play  “The Promise”

• They have already cast all of the shows. I am so excited to have been cast as  Julia in the  “The Promise” She is the girl in the love triangle, so I am excited to be portraying such a wonderful faithful character. It means I have lots of lines to learn and many chances for little solo parts.
• The hardest part about this week has been losing my voice completely. I have been on vocal rest since Tuesday/ The day they announced the casting.  It started to ago a way and then I could not sing anything in my high range. I got a blessing finally yesterday and it is starting to get better. It has been good because it made me listen and have to exercise faith in God. I know that it happened so that He could teach me.
  

  First Temple Trip

• I love being a missionary again. So even if there are hard things that push me and times when I do not feel adequate to perform this role or to perform as a missionary enough, He can comfort me and lift me. I love the fact that I get to reach out to so many people. I am not perfect and I am realizing more and more my shortcoming, but I feel God is molding me just as before.
• I love Nauvoo it is so green and beautiful.   Sister Miekle and I got stuck with the single bedroom in the basement, we felt a little sad at first, but it has turned out to be a blessing , because we always get to talk and it is  the coolest room in the house.

Pray for my voice. I love you guys. Sorry this email is so short. I hope we can get it all figured out so that I can actually receive emails from all of you. Thank you!

-Sister Gardner

Where two or three are gathered in my name… There shall I be in the midst of them. The midst of them that love me.

Ice Cream with the Sisters

We didn’t get a mothers day phone call, but this beautiful song and picture sent were perfect.

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Sister Gardner Strikes Again

I am sure many of you thought that sister Gardner would write no more. But to my amazement and general jubilation, the missionary journey will continue! If you recall music was a crowning joy on my mission. I used music to touch the hearts of those I taught and to reach closed up hearts. I would like to announce that I have been called to serve as a Nauvoo Performing Missionary for this summer. I will be set apart Thursday and then Friday morning I am flying out at 5:45 in the morning.

It has been an interesting time coming back. I dove right into school again. I have been on stage again, singing and dancing. And now I have officially been accepted into the Acting Program at my university. I am trying to keep following God’s plan for me even though at times I wonder how exactly he  is planning on me using these talents in the long run. I am therefore very glad to have this opportunity to bear my testimony through song and dance.

Nauvoo, for those who are not aware was used as a gathering place for the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There was a thriving city and even a temple built on the banks of the Mississippi River. If you would like to know more about it check out the website : http://www.historicnauvoo.net/

I went there years ago and was so impressed and touched by the performers, the history, and of course the fireflies. So I am excited to be returning.

The audition process for this mission was already such a spiritually uplifting experience. I sent in my video and was then invited to attend a callback in Salt Lake City. I left early that morning filled with anticipation. I listened to the tabernacle choir as I drove, the sun rising in east up over the mountains as I drove along the freeway. I was filled with such peace. I remember going into the church building where the callback was held feeling that whatever happened the wonderful experience on the drive over might have been the only reason  was called back.

We had a marathon of singing. I loved hearing all the talented performers the entire chapel was filled with melodious voices. The audition continued throughout the day, measurements, choral singing, reading of slides (a section of a script), and an interview with the directors. It felt like a lovely musical theater themed zone conference just like on my mission. I felt so happy.

A few days later I received the happy news that I would be serving as a performing sister and I have been looking forward to it since December.

I am excited to see how I will grow and improve as a missionary and performer over the summer. I know that I will be able to dedicate these performances to the lord.

“But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.”

-2 Nephi 32: 9

…The most beautiful thing about all of this is that I will be able to be sister Gardner again! So I hope you will enjoy these next few months as Sister Gardner is Astonishing along the Mississippi.